A Month After Her Mother Was Detained By ICE, Cal State L.A. Student Claudia Rueda Was Also Detained

A mother of two from Boyle Heights, and her daughter, a Cal State Los Angeles student were both detained by immigration authorities in separate incidents and could be deported to Mexico. According to the the Los Angeles Times, people are livid at the way they were apprehended and are calling it unjust.

But, according to community organizers, the authorities were wrong. They say the 54-year-old woman had nothing to do with the 30 pounds of cocaine and $600,000 in cash that the authorities found in a car belonging to her husband, Hugo Rueda.

Although the Sheriff’s Department released Vidal-Jaime because she was not considered a suspect in the drug bust — they claim they did not ask about her immigration status — ICE detained her due to her undocumented status. She was then taken to a detention center in Chula Vista and is awaiting deportation proceedings.

Community organizers suspect Vidal-Jaime was arrested because her daughter, Claudia Rueda, has been a longtime immigration activist.

CREDIT: Facebook/Claudia Rueda

Claudia Rueda has always been quick to inform people about ICE raids and pro-immigration protests.

While her mother was in detention, Claudia Rueda held protests in support of her mom.

“Despite being told she would not be detained as long she cooperated, my mother was apprehended during an illegally conducted raid at my apartment,” Claudia Rueda said in a statement. “I know my mother is innocent, and both [the Sheriff’s Department and Border Patrol] know that, which is why they were supposed to let her go.”

Then on May 19, less than a month after her mother’s arrest, ICE arrested Claudia Rueda.

CREDIT: Facebook/Claudia Rueda

A statement from the Democratic Socialists of America offered Rueda’s version of the incident: “Officials showed up this morning, family members knew not to open the door since the agents couldn’t produce a warrant. But they got to Claudia anyway while she was outside moving the family’s car. For several hours her family had no idea where she was.”